Janis
Janis is a male scorpion and an NPC and familiar of Zenga in the Emeron campaign. Background Janis was born as a human, the eldest child of Farian and Treana, in the town of Yevud in the Barony of Reikland. When he was two his younger sister Zenga was born. Janis' parents, both familiar with magic, agreed that he showed early signs of being a sorcerer and agreed that they would need to train him when he grew old enough to develop his powers. Unfortunately they would never get the chance. When Janis was four years old a group of women came to their house, demanding that Treana and Zenga leave with them. Janis' parents refused and a fight broke out. During the fighting Janis was killed and Treana and Farian were mortally wounded. Zenga was dragged away by the women. As they lay dying, his parents cast a final, desperate spell to try to save Janis. Combining Farian's druidic magic with Treana's witch magic they were able to reincarnate Janis, though as a scorpion. With their dying breaths they urged him to find and protect Zenga. Protecting Zenga Janis returned to life as a scorpion but without losing any of the memories of life as a human boy. He felt an innate, magical connection to Zenga, possibly through some greater non-mortal power, and was able to track her to the village of Nāves Ciems in the Brokenback Swamps. Janis did not fully understand how or why, but he knew that Zenga would be able to use him as a conduit for her magical power as she grew up. Although he could not communicate with his sister, he stayed with her at nearly all times and tried is best to protect her. When Zenga left the village, claiming that she was ready to seduce a magic using man to procreate for the village, he naturally went with her and was by her side when she met Shren and Froderik Penderghast on the outskirts of the Brokenback Swamps. Joined of Vesper On the 15th of Swan, 1159, the avatar of the god Vesper was destroyed and a piece of it fused with Zenga's soul. Since Janis was Zenga's familiar and had a spiritual connection, this meant that Janis was also affected and whenever Zenga would vanish so too would Janis. Though scared, he attempted to continue to do all he could for Zenga. A Family Reunion In Griffon of 1159 Zenga and the Joined of Vesper returned to Nāves Ciems as it was coming under strange monster attacks. The Joined Investigated and encountered Farian, strangely joined with a tree. Janis left Zenga's pocket and climbed onto his father, who identified him immediately as his son. Farian sought vengeance upon the Wives of Death, who had attacked his family and kidnapped his daughter, and cut a deal with the Joined of Vesper to spare the children of the village if they would help him destroy the Heart of the Swamp, which was protecting it. Once the artifact was destroyed, however, Farian reneged on his deal, killing everyone in the village. As a result the Joined, with the full agreement of Zenga, slew Farian. Very shortly thereafter Zenga's power had grown enough that she could understand Janis when he spoke to her, but her lack of experience with familiar and the trauma of learning her true past and fighting her father made the poor witch think she was losing her mind and she frequently snapped at Janis to be silent and leave her be. Eventually her companion Froderik Penderghast explained the properties of familiars and Zenga's relationship with Janis has improved somewhat. Personality Because he was killed as a young boy and due to the unique nature of the magic that returned him to life, Janis has the personality and mindset of a small boy. In spite of this he is still quite protective of Zenga, and tries to offer her the best advice he can. Due to Zenga's somewhat tortured and dark nature, he often winds up serving as an innocent voice of conscience within her. Their relationship is still somewhat strange, as Zenga is still coming to terms with the fact that Janis is really her older brother yet with the perpetual personality of a child, but it is improving. Category:Emeron Category:Characters Category:Companions